Metallica Scholars Initiative Welcomes Back CCC

July 14, 2022

Central Community College returns for the second year as part of the Metallica Scholar program to receive $50,000 to transform the future of students in the community.

Since establishing the Metallica Scholars Initiative in 2019, All Within My Hands (AWMH) has been working with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to provide direct support for career and technical education programs across the US. Having grown from a concept to a thriving educational strategy that focuses on enhancing skills while providing services to students looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program, the Metallica Scholars Initiative has generated a proven and measurable impact. AWMH will replicate the program further by adding ten more schools to the roster, investing $1.8 million to expand in year four. 

“Our goal for the Metallica Scholars Initiative is to shine a light on workforce education and support the next generation of tradespeople. With the addition of the 2022-2023 Metallica Scholars program, our grants will reach over 2,000 men and women in 32 community colleges across 27 states. We are honored to support these students of all ages and backgrounds and look forward to growing the program even farther in the future.” – Pete Delgrosso, Executive Director, All Within My Hands

Direct impact on job and wage growth drives the Metallica Scholars Initiative. On average, students who complete the program see new job opportunities and increased salary potential up to three times higher than pre-program. Central Community College will focus its efforts on more than 50 criminal justice students through scholarships, forensic kits, field trips and subject matter experts to provide real world application to the program.

“Central Community College is very pleased with the renewal of the generous grant from the All Within My Hands Foundation to continue to support students in our growing criminal justice program throughout central Nebraska,” said CCC President Dr. Matt Gotschall.

Funded by Metallica’s All Within My Hands (AWMH) and led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Metallica Scholars Initiative is designed to directly support students while elevating the importance of career and technical education. Metallica continues to use its global platform to speak out on the dignity of professional trades and community colleges that prepare students.

“The mission of All Within My Hands scholarships to create sustainable communities by supporting workforce education has found the perfect fit right here in Grand Island,” said Capt. Jim Duering with the Grand Island Police Department. “There is arguably no job more imperative to sustainable communities or in higher demand than criminal justice graduates in the police field.”

The scholarships made available through the Metallica Foundation are already leading to real world gains, with scholarship recipients graduating, and being offered jobs within our community right now. 

Working closely with the AACC, a Washington D.C.-based advocate for not-for-profit, public-serving institutions, AWMH has selected ten new schools to receive funding to transform the future of students in their communities in addition to 22 renewal institutions, including Central Community College in Nebraska. The extensive proposal process received an incredible amount of interest, and the applications were of the highest quality.

“The Metallica Scholars program has proven to provide significant resources for community college students looking to learn the skills needed for today’s workforce,” said Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO. “We are honored to partner with the All Within My Hands Foundation to continue to expand this opportunity for community colleges and their students.”

To learn more about the Metallica Scholars Initiative, click here.